Improvement in fire-escapes



2 Sheets8heet 2.

D. 0. 'STRIPLER,

Fire-Escape.

No. 197,232. Patented Nov. 20, I877.

ZZUPIZZOZJ ja ziaz wr-ry zer 773227019 as as aWMZ, 54/1 zzw/M v LBe iknow-n' that; I, DANIEL O. i of St J Louis, in the county of: St.Louisand State of Missouri,.-have .inventedan-Improved Fire-Escape, *ofwhich; the following is a speci- "its improvements.

IE1! ST-LOUIS, MISSOURI;

To all tulto zn itmay concern: r -1;' STRIFLER,

This'invention is animproved I fire-escape, nore'specially designed forthe useof a fire department. l I

To carry out this-invention a system of fireladders is nestedtogether,andwhenextended reach to proper heights or the windows of a building,and all mounted upon a carriage.v

The novel features of this invention consist in the peculiarconstruction and combination of parts, as will hereinafter he pointedout in 'theclaims Q I V 1 p 1 Of thedrawings, Figure lisasidegeleva-'tion of my apparatus, showing the ladders in extended position.- Fig. 2is afront elevation of Fig. 1.- Figs. 3 and 4 are respective views,

showing constructionof detail parts belonging to the ladders. Figs. 5and6are',1respectively, side elevations, showing my'apparatus that is, .theladders thereof-nested together, I and mounted in this condition on andoff" the "car- 'riage. Fig. 7 is a "detail, showing ytheI- hook featurefor securing the ladder-sections; Fig. 8 is a detaihshowingf thelevenbrak'e forming "partof the lowest ladder. "Fig. 9 is 'afdetail,showing the hand-crank attachment for mount ing andfdismounting". theladders. Fig. 10 isa detail perspective. of the npperladder'and orcarriage.

. I accomplish the raising andlow'ering ofthe 'ladders'(for extensionpurposes)by means of I arope or ropes arranged and connected to theladders and carriage in the following manner;

O isthe rope or ropes,'which can be-ofany fsuitabIe material possessingthe required .1

r Spcification y 'm g Pall] of Letters P nt N 197,232, dated November20, 1877 application filed I May17, 187 7.'

strength, durability, and adaptability. One end of the rope G, I secureat '0, (see Figs. 1 and 2,)and carry the rope along the outside of theladder B to pass over a groovedroller at c',-at top of theladderB. Fromthencesaid rope passes down the outside of said ladderover a similarroller at 0 from thence the rope is partially carried upward over asimilar roller at 0 at top of ladder B from thence said rope passes downthe outside of 11 said ladder over a similar roller at 0 thence partlyupward over the roller ate, at top of ladder B; from thence it passesdown saidladder over the roller at 0 thence over the roller at 0 at topof ladder B; thence down its side over the roller at 0 from thence therope is 'earried'under the carriage, passing round the pulley at 0 and,lastly, connects to the wind- "lass D, which is mounted on the carriage,and

all as shown in'Figs. 1 and 2.1 I

A continuous cord or tackleis thus arranged to connectall the ladders,one en'dof therope extending from near bottom-of the" highest sectiondown the side of eachlowerladder' or sections, the lower end of saidropeconnecting to the Windlass. I y flhe grooved rollers 0 -0 0 turnin arecessed bearing made in the sides of therespective ladders. so as notto interfere' with -their-acitioIi for extension purposes. 'A' similararrangement of rope-connection, and also grooved rollers, can beprovided on" the opposite side of thesystem of ladders, if needbeya'ndthe n I manner in which the rope or ropes is operated A, Figs;1., 2, 5, 6, represents'a suitable truck 3 l p B B B B Brepresentthefireladders. These-are nested togetherin the followingmannerzEThe lower ladderg'B, is the widest, the v ladder, B following isthe next j v widest, and, inlike manner, the succeeding laddersdecreasein width, in order to adapt them to slide within-each other'when raisedor lowtired, and to nest together when mounted on 'and off thecarriage,as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

will hereinafter appear. k I

To facilitate the raising and'lowering of the ladders, I provide thefurther smooth-faced rollers at d d d d (see Figs. 1, 2, '3, 4) at. topof the respective ladders B B B B alongside of the grooved rollers, butso as to. turn inde 'pendently. Further, each of the rollers d, I *makeof larger diameter than that of the contiguous grooved roller, in orderthat the sliding action of the ladders (whenrais'ed or lowered)sliall'not interfere withthe passage or operation of the rope.Hence,-1also, the same arrangement of smooth-faced rollersis provided onthe opposite side, and on the same ladders. (See Figs. 2 and 4.)

The outside face of the frameof the inner flowered, and vice versa toaccommodate the ladders ,bears against the rollers d, which niatetiallylessens the friction, and cases the raising and lowering action of allthe ladders. The grooved rollers turning independently, and not comingin contact with the moving ladders, the free operation of the rope cantake place. I also provide a shnilar arrangement of independent actingrollers at d d d d, (see Figs. 2, 4), on both sides of the insideladders, to obtain a roller-bearing for said ladders. Also, for the samepurpose, the iron rungs or bracesfof the ladders B B B B have, at d? oneach side, rollers for the edges of said lad ers to roll upon, (seeFigs. 2, 4,) and thus all the outside faces of movin g-ladders bear uponrollers, which greatly facilitates their action for the purposesintended. I 7

d .;ar e guides, having one end secured to the 1 inside ladders,theother end partly extending like o hook over the face of the nextladder. (Mole clearlyshpwn in Figs. 3, 4. Said guides I can also haverollers. d (see Fig. 3) are stops, whieh when coming in contact with anyof the I guides d estop any further extension of the ladders; Likewise,on the sides of the ladders l 13 13 ,135, stops or pins d? (see Figs. 2,4) are provided, which limit the lowering of the lad- 5 ders. I I

.A system pi ladders thus arranged with rei lation to each other, andthe carriage for their conveyance, I mount on and ofi their carriage, asthe case may require, by means of ahandcrank attachment. For thispurpose, E is a ratchet segment-bar. (See Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 9.)Engaging the ratchet-baris-a hand-lever, 5 E4, that controls theoperation of the crankarn' is e c, .(see liig. 9,) the fulcrum of thelever being at e], and the arm of crank being secured v to the side ofthe ladder, all shown in :Fig. 9.. Both sides of the lower ladder havethis hand-crank and ratchet attachment to the car- I riage,and both canbeoperated simultaneously. lt= is by means of this attachment to thelad- ,ders ai id carriage that the former (the entire nest of ladders)can be readily mounted on or ed, the carriage, A still further use forthe hand-crank attachment is here to be noticedviz.,;toadapt theposition pf the ladders, ip're paratory to further extension, to anyunequal bearing-surface that may exist. Thus, ad jnsting the requiredhand-crank, one side of the ladders can be raised and the other sidebearing-surface also, by said attachment, the

ladders can be let down into the gutter, or

placed on the pavement, and otherwise .po .sitioned so asstill to beperpendicular, not? withstanding that the wagon or truck maybe onunevenground. I

and its other book end fitted to engage any of theseries of holes at fin the side or sides off, the carriage. T; The object of the lever ll isto enable the-operator to adjust the bunch of ladders to assume therequired inclination for ez'rtension purposes 5 also, to .swihg theladders to, another po tio awesom dormers at'mduier window or locationas to height.

It is necessary to fasten the rope or ropes so as to prevent slipping ordisengagement of parts, and for the bettermanipulation or using of theladders, as well as the entire apparatus. For this purpose I pivot at ga handbrake, see Figs ol, 5, and 8,) the lower end of said bra 'e boingadaptedt'o come in contact with the rope passing over the lowest groovedo l mm v g (see Fig. 9) is a bracket secured to ladder B, and having anotch, so that by causing the brake G to impinge tightly against therope, said brake can be in this condition secured or held in A the notchor catchand when. disengaged from same, the bra ecanqalso be disengagedfi'oin the rope, and this latter be then free ,to act. This brake G isimportant in its function, for when the ladders are extended, as perFigs. 1 and 2 and also when the s me are in lowered condition, sas peiliig'. 5, and otherwise when the apparatus is in the ooh, dition shownin Fig- 5 a dio: Iiiovin from one lace. to another, said bialre :must eapplie ,to fasten or secure Q I The mounting or d'smof n ogof theladders, and also the raising a l'owofing oi" the same can beaccomplished by,handpower apf lie to the Windlass D. Thisturns' inproper earings on the carriage, and at opposite endsis providedwith ahand-crank,l)', and pinioii D in wh'ich a pawl en ages. l'fhe pawlsfasten the Windlass, and, a goof-servos to secure the rope or ropes. I lg a I It is more specially my ebiet, means oi" the same rope or ropes,to accomplish the raising and lowering of, the ladders by utilizing thedraft-team, which, as apparent, is "a necessity for the conveyance ofthe apparatus. To accomplish this end, the pulley, '6 operates in asheave that has a hook,.;h,l'(seel igs.il"and 6,) the other end of theoneayo {being suitably constructed to engage eom frani 'an point offastening at the Tfront'of the, carriage.

The hook h can rea ily tehookoa to the whi'ffletree, and when this 1sdisengaged from the carriage-flout it plain the canoperate the rope forth A tension of the I, 2,1 represents m hooaaa is intended to secure andhold :"fast theinside iota ders when extended, TifiSjllOOk I is oi'theconstructive shape shown "ihiFigfi so as have the projecting hold iat iand the cllived catches at i. Said hopliifs ,pivoted atfli, and when itis in the position "s own in the full v 5 lines '(see Fig. 7) its holdat ieiigages the con- F; (-see Figs, 1, 2, 5,6) is a hand-lever, hayingone end pivoted at f to the lower ladder: i}

ti ous rung of the ladder, and thus the same is eld fast. Whendisengaged "the hook assumes thegiosition shown jinfdotted lines,\'(seeFig.7 an is held by apin I prefer to make thetop IE-that is, to have itsback I boarded or closed by boarding, at nastiest "or the traderslength, and to have, also, a swinging brace, I, and, further,the stepsat The brace I is to serve as a holdfast for the party,

and the steps 4 as a'seat, andthe'closed back; 11 to prevent any actionof the person while occupying the ladder from interfering withtheraising or lowering action of the same;

also, it is a safeguard, oflering protection to ;is as follows: Thesmallest ladder, B, will first be extended its full length; then thenext section, B follows, carrying B with it; next follows B, carrying BBwith it; and, lastly, B follows, carrying the top sections withit- Inlowering the ladders the action is vice versa, the section B firstdescending, carrying the top sections withit; next follows 13*,&c.,until all the ladders are nested below. The apparatus having beenconveyed to the place of the fire, or locality where it is to be used,the ladde'rs are first dismounted, as per Fig. 5. In

- this condition the draft can, by pulling the rope, cause the laddersto be raised to their full height. The brake'G is then applied tomaintain said ladders in a permanent condition. A firemanorope1-ator-can ascend at the same time by taking his position in theladder B The apparatus assumes the same condition when lowered as perFig. 5, and when mounted on the carriage as per Fig. 6.

My invention" possesses the advantages of being quickly operated. Thesame rope attachment is used for extension or lowering or mountingpurposes, and that whether hand or draftpower is used. The hose can becarried to the top at sametime the ladders are raised, and in everyrespect, by its use, it facilitates a better control to extinguish afire, and save property or life.

What I claim is- 1. The herein-described tackle, secured at c to atop-ladder, and passing said rope along the outside of said ladder topass over a grooved roller at a, top of the next ladder, thence passingdown its side over a roller at c, and thence over a roller of asucceeding ladder, and so on, as herein shown and described, incombination with a system of ladders that nest within each other, andwith the carriage carrying awindlass, by means whereof the mounting anddismounting, and raising and lowering, of said ladders can beaccomplished, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The hand-brake Gr, pivoted at g, and arranged with relation to arope, G, passing over a roller, 0 on a ladder, B, having the holdfast g,tooperate as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The pulley c", the hook h, in combination with the rope O and seriesof ladders,to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The rollers 01, arranged with relation to the grooved rollers overwhich the rope passes, and made of larger diameter than said groovedrollers, and operating in combination with a system of ladders, as andfor the purposes set forth.

5. The hand-crank attachment, consisting of segment ratchet-bar E, leverE, crank-arms e, in combination with a ladder, (or system of ladders,)and a carriage A, to operate as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The hook I, having the hold at c', and catches at i, the pin '5, incombination with .two or more ladders, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set my hand.

DANL. O. STRIELER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, JOHN W. HERTHEL.

